Spokane, Wash. (http://www.gozags.com May 3, 2008) Jason Chatwood hit a solo walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth for Gonzaga University Saturday as the Bulldogs defeated the University of San Francisco 6-5 at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field in Spokane, Wash. The three-game West Coast Conference series between the Zags and Dons is now tied 1-1.

After surrendering a game tying run in the top of the ninth, Gonzaga (28-19, 8-8) entered its half of the ninth inning with the scored knotted at five. The leadoff batter in the inning flied out for the first out of the inning, before Chatwood stepped in. The junior then hit a one-run home run just over the leftfield wall to give the Bulldogs the 6-5 victory. The walk-off was the first of the season for GU and the first since Mark Castellitto’s walk-off against Loyola Marymount University last season.

Reliever Cody Martin (4-0) earned the win for the Bulldogs, as the freshman pitched the final 1.2 innings of the game. AJ Proszek started the game for GU, pitching seven innings, allowing three runs, two earned. Proszek allowed four hits, but held the Dons (27-1, 9-8) hitless until the fifth inning. USF reliever Brian Anderson (1-4) suffered the loss, allowing one run on one hit over 1.2 frames.

Gonzaga jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning, as the Zags scored all four runs before recording an out. Ryan Wiegand led off the inning with a hard hit home run to right field. The shot cleared the right field wall before landing on the opposite side of Trent, the main street behind the outfield. The Bulldogs then used three consecutive singles before scoring on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch. The next two runs were plated on a single by Bryan Winston and a bases loaded walk to Evan Wells.

USF chipped away at GU’s lead throughout the remainder of the game, scoring solo runs in the fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings. In the fifth, a two-base throwing error proved costly as Bobby Ethel was brought around to score on a single by Joey Railey. Ethel then went yard to left field in the seventh to narrow the Zags’ lead to 4-2.

GU responded with a run in the bottom of the seventh, as Marcus McKimmy was driven in on a sacrifice fly to left by Drew Heid.

Kyle Morgan led off the eighth with a single for San Francisco, before scoring on a double to left center by Zach Kim. The Dons then tied the score 5-5 in the top of the ninth, as Morgan hit a single to center that drove in Stephen Yarrow, who walked to reach base.

Heid, Castellitto and Winston each posted two hits in the game to lead the Bulldogs. Wells extended his current hit streak to 20 games thanks to an infield single in the Zags’ half of the first inning.

Gonzaga and San Francisco will play the rubber game of the three-game set Sunday at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. Prior to start of the game, the Zags will honor nine seniors as part of Senior Day. Brandon Blank, Ben Greenslitt, Brandon Harmon, Marcus McKimmy, Alex Parrott, Cory Powell, Michael Rhodes, Shawn Wayt and Bryan Winston will all be recognized before the 1 p.m. game.

Temple 11 George Washington 5

ARLINGTON, VA (5/3/08) – Senior Tom Dolan (Bensalem, PA / Archbishop Ryan) threw six scoreless innings of two-hit baseball and the Temple offense exploded for its most runs in exactly two weeks in a 11-5 victory at George Washington on Saturday at Bancroft Park. The win snapped a six-game losing streak and a four-game skid in Atlantic 10 play.

Dolan was spotted an 8-0 lead after the Owls (21-23, 12-8 A-10) sent 12 batters to the plate in an eight-run first inning. The eight runs were more than the team had scored in an entire game during its six-game losing streak.

After missing last weekend’s scheduled start to give his arm some rest, Dolan (4-4) had his best start of the season. Following a hit by pitch to the first batter of the game, the southpaw retired the next 11 batters and did not allow a runner past first base during his six innings of work. He needed just 70 pitchers in arguably his best start since striking out 16 batters in eight innings (three hits, one earned run) at Dayton on April 8, 2007.

Senior Stan Orzechowski (Philadelphia, PA / Northeast Catholic) set the tone in the first inning with a pair of hits, including a two-out, three-run single that made it 7-0. He also scored the first run of the game when junior Kyle Obal’s (Derwood, MD / Sherwood) single to third was thrown away.

Junior Sean Barksdale (Glenolden, PA / Cardinal O’Hara) had an RBI double early in the inning and classmate Carmen Del Mastro (Philadelphia, PA / Roman Catholic) had a two-out, two-run single that preceded Orzechowski’s second base-hit. Obal also added an RBI single to finish the scoring in the first.

Temple added a pair of unearned runs in the sixth. Junior Jamie Abercrombie (Ambler, PA / Hatboro-Horsham) walked, moved to second on Orzechowski’s third hit of the game, stole third and scored when Obal’s fly-ball to left was dropped. A freshman Steve Nikorak (Stroudsburg, PA / Stroudsburg) double scored Orzechowski to extend the lead to 10-0.

Del Mastro drove in the Owls’ final run of the game in the seventh on a fielder’s choice.

Trailing 11-0, George Washington (23-24, 9-11) tried to get back into the game with five runs in the seventh. But freshman Jordan Cannon (Reading, PA / Exeter Twp.) pitched the final five outs without allowing a run to close the game.

Orzechowski (three hits) and Del Mastro each drove in three runs for the Owls. Seven starters had at least one hit, including two doubles by sophomore Matt Heltz (Garyville, LA / St. Charles Catholic) and two singles by Obal.

Bobby Lucas (5-1) suffered the loss after allowing eight earned runs in one inning of work. Chris Holland had a two-run homer for the Colonials.

With the win, Temple remained in fourth place in the Atlantic 10 standings with seven games to play. TU is 1.5 games out of first place, behind Xavier and Duquesne, and one game behind third-place Charlotte.

The series concludes on Sunday at noon.

Illinois 14 Northwestern 4

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Brandon Wikoff recorded his first career five-hit day, going 5-for-5 and falling just a triple shy of the cycle, to lead Illinois to a 14-4 thrashing of Northwestern at Illinois Field. First baseman Ryan Hastings was 3-for-4 with four RBIs and third baseman John Schlichter drove in three as the Illini improved to 5-1 in Big Ten series openers.

Illinois got on top with three first-inning runs when center fielder Kyle Hudson reached on catcher’s interference with one out and stole second, tying the Big Ten season stolen base record with 19. Wikoff followed with an RBI double down the right-field line and catcher Aaron Johnson drove in Wikoff with a sharply hit single to center. DH Daniel Webb laced a double off the right-field wall to put runners at second and third, and Hastings drove in Johnson with a groundout for a 3-0 lead.

The Fighting Illini added four runs in the third when Hudson led off with a double and scored on Wikoff’s first home run of the year, a two-run blast to right field. One out later, Webb restarted the inning with a bloop base hit to left and came around to score on Hastings’ double to the right-field corner. Hastings advanced to third on the throw home and scored on Schlichter’s groundout to make the margin 7-0.

Illinois tacked on a five-spot in the fourth after Bonadonna ripped a single at the third baseman that he was able to knock down but couldn’t make a play on. Hudson dropped a bloop double down the left-field line and Wikoff’s single through the right side brought in two runs. One out later, Webb walked and Hastings drove in Wikoff with a single through the right side. Schlichter followed with a two-run double off the wall in left-center to increase the lead to 12-0.

Northwestern got two runs back in the fifth on a pair of singles, a double and an RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to 12-2. But the Illini scored two more in the bottom half when Hudson drew a one-out walk and came around to score on Wikoff’s double to the wall in right-center. Johnson walked on four pitches and, one out later, Hastings laced a single into right-center, driving in Wikoff for a 14-2 advantage.

The Wildcats scored two more in the sixth after an infield hit off Illini starter Kevin Manson’s foot and a homer by pinch hitter Tony Vercelli, making the score 14-4. Manson exited after the sixth inning, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out a career-high eight hitters, four on called third strikes.

Reliever Lee Zerrusen came on in the seventh, tossing three near-perfect innings for his first career save. Zerrusen gave up singles in the seventh and ninth and did not allow a walk while striking out a career high-tying three hitters.

Wikoff finished the day 5-for-5 with a homer, two doubles, a career-high six RBIs and four runs. Hudson was 2-for-3 with two doubles, a career-high four runs and a stolen base, and Webb was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs. Wikoff’s five-hit game was the fifth time an Illini has collected five hits this season and Illinois’ 14 runs mark the fifth time during Big Ten play that the Orange and Blue have posted double-digit runs.

Manson and Zerrusen also pitched in, striking out a season-high 11 Northwestern batters, five on called third strikes. They also allowed only two walks on the day.

Up Next: The same two teams continue their series with a doubleheader Sunday beginning at 1:05 p.m. The series finale will be played Monday at 6:05 p.m.

UMass 3 Dayton 1

AMHERST, Mass. – Behind seven innings of one-run ball from starter Mitchell Clegg (Woburn, Mass.), UMass baseball (15-21, 8-12 A-10) defeated Dayton (27-19, 10-10 A-10), 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field. The junior left-hander scattered six hits and struck out three. Mitchell Eilenberg (Brooklyn, N.Y.) tossed two perfect innings to close the game for his fifth save of the season. Kyle Multner (Peabody, Mass.) was 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, and a RBI. Andrew Black (Baltimore, Md.) hit the first home run of his UMass career.

Quinn Haselhorst pitched well for Dayton, going eight innings and allowing three runs on six hits with eight strikeouts.

Black put the first run of the game on the scoreboard when he led off the third inning with a deep drive that cleared the left field fence. With one out in the same inning, Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.) walked to put a runner aboard for Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.). The junior second baseman delivered with a double to left center that scored Franczek when the throw from the outfield got away from the relay, giving UMass a 2-0 lead.

Dayton got its lone run in the fifth. Jimmy Roesinger led off the inning with a double to right center and advanced to third on Kevin Miller’s one out single through the left side. Roesinger would then score on a groundout by Scott Dunwoody.

Leading off the bottom of the sixth, Jim Macdonald (Cheshire, Conn.) struck out, but reached first when the pitch in the dirt got away from the Flyers’ catcher. After being bunted over by Andy Tuetken (Smithfield, R.I.), Macdonald scored on a triple to deep right center off the bat of Multner, his second three-bagger of the season, to make it 3-1.

Clegg pitched himself out of two jams late in the game. After the Flyers put men on second and third with no outs in the sixth, Clegg got a strikeout, a fly out, and a groundout to escape the inning unscathed. A pair of two-out walks in the seventh proved not to be a problem either, as he induced a groundball to get out of that inning.

By going 0-for-4, Brian Baudinet (Watertown, Conn.) did not reach base in a game for the first time this season, a streak of 34 games.

The Minutemen and Flyers conclude their three-game series on Sunday at noon.

TCU 6 Utah 3

Fort Worth, TEXAS- The bats were alive early for the Frogs, who won the second game of the three game series against Mountain West Conference foe Utah, by a score of 6-3 Saturday afternoon at Lupton Stadium. Sean Hoelscher recorded his sixth win of the season, tying a career-high with eight punch outs. A four-run third inning proved to be the difference in the game.

The Horned Frogs scored the first run in the bottom of the second inning on a single by Bryan Holaday. Matt Carpenter walked to set up the go-ahead run and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He scored easily on Holaday’s single to right for a 1-0 TCU lead.

The Frogs opened up the game in the bottom of the third inning, scoring five runs on just three hits. Bryan Kervin doubled to deep right-center scoring Ben Carruthers from first base. Clint Arnold followed with a fly ball to shallow right field for a single, advancing Kervin to third. With one out, the Frogs loaded the bases on a walk to Chris Ellington. Carpenter followed with a deep smash off the center field fence, plating Kervin and Arnold to give the Frogs a 4-0 lead. Chris Ellington added a run, scoring on a Steve Ellington sacrifice fly to shallow right field.

Utah cracked the scoreboard with its first run of the game on a Cody Guymon home run over the left field fence in the fourth inning. Hoelscher answered back, striking out the next batter. With two outs, Hoelscher put runners on first and second with a single to shortstop and a hit batter, but froze Cooper Blanc looking to end the inning without any further damage.

Hoelscher had a shaky sixth after allowing a double to the left field warning track and then walking the next batter, but again he was able to battle back and hold the Utes scoreless. He escaped the inning, getting Blanc to ground out to first.

With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Hoelscher gave way to the bullpen to finish out the contest. In 6 2/3 innings, the freshman right-hander gave up just three hits, allowed two runs, walked three and struck out eight.

Utah loaded the bases with two two-out singles, but Derek VerHagen took the mound and got Dustin Hennis to ground out sharply to Kervin at short to end the inning.

The Utes rallied in eighth inning putting runners on first and second with one out. VerHagen walked the next batter to load the bases. With the bases juiced, senior right-handed pitcher, Dillon Farish took the mound to clean up the mess. He retired the lone batter he faced on a sacrifice fly to center, making it a 6-3 contest. Following the out, the Frogs called on closer Andrew Cashner to finish the game. The junior struck out Corey Shimada to halt the Utah rally.

Cashner closed out the game striking out three of the last four batters, solidifying the win for the Frogs and giving Cashner his seventh save of the season.

TCU improves to 32-16 overall and 15-5 in league play. The series finale is slated for 1 p.m. tomorrow afternoon as the Frogs will go for their fourth conference series sweep. Greg Holle will get the call for the Frogs and face Utah’s John James.

Liberty 8 Charleston Southern 3

Charleston, S.C. – Liberty starter David Stokes threw his second complete game of the year and three different Flames hit home runs in an 8-3 victory over Charleston Southern, Saturday afternoon at Buccaneer Field.

With the victory in the opener of the three-game Big South series, Liberty ups its conference mark to 10-6 and moves to 23-23 overall on the year. Charleston Southern falls to 4-9 in the Big South standings and 15-26 overall.

Stokes (Sr., RHP, Locust Grove, Okla.) did not allow a runner to reach base through the first five innings of the contest on his way to the complete game victory. Pinch hitter Brantley Meier collected the first Charleston Southern hit leading off the bottom of the sixth with a sharp single to left field. Stokes allowed three runs, one which was unearned, on four hits, to improve to 6-4 on the season. He struck out eight batters and issued just one walk. Earlier in the season, the senior right-hander pitched the first of three complete games this season by a Liberty pitcher in a 5-4 win at Radford on April 11.

Liberty struck with two outs in the first inning for an early lead. P.K. Keller (Sr., RF, Clearwater, Fla.) walked to continue the opening frame for the Flames. David Giammaresi (Sr., 1B, Coral Springs, Fla.) followed by launching his fifth home run of the season over the scoreboard in left field for a 2-0 advantage.

In the second frame, the Flames extended their lead. Joseph Feeley (Fr., CF, Chesapeake City, Md.) connected for his first collegiate home run. The two-out home run to straight away center field gave Liberty a 3-0 lead.

Liberty extended its lead with two runs in the sixth. With one out, Cody Brown (Jr., 3B, Boca Raton, Fla.) singled and Garrett Young (Sr., DH, Fountain Valley, Calif.) walked. The next hitter, Aaron Grijalva (Sr., LF, Redlands, Calif.), chased home both runners, with a liner to the left field gap, splitting the left fielder and center fielder for a double and a 5-0 Flames advantage.

In the bottom of the frame, the Buccaneers turned their first hit of the game into a run. Meier singled to open the inning and moved to third on a throwing error by Stokes on a sacrifice bunt by catcher Mike Beattie. Shortstop Taylor Black then lifted a sacrifice fly to plate the first Charleston Southern run of the game.

In the eighth inning, Brown ripped a solo home run over the right field wall to up the Liberty advantage to 6-1. The third baseman’s round tripper was his seventh of the year, tying him with catcher Errol Hollinger (Jr., Upland, Calif.) for the team lead.

Charleston Southern countered with two runs in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, the Buccaneers loaded the bases by sandwiching a hit between two walks. Second baseman Kory Morian followed with a two-run double, cutting the Liberty edge to 6-3. With runners at second and third base, Stokes struck out the next batter to end the threat.

Liberty added two insurance runs in the ninth. Hollinger singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. The catcher moved to third on a single by Keller, and scored when left fielder Tyler Thornburg misplayed the base hit. Two batters later, Brown lifted a sacrifice fly to plate Keller for the final score of 8-3.

Hollinger led all hitters with three hits in the game. Keller, Grijalva and Brown each added two hits for the Flames.

Liberty and Charleston Southern close the three-game Big South Conference series tomorrow with a doubleheader. Game one is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.

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